Technology and Socio-Economic Development in India

The role of technology in business and society has grown at an accelerated pace in both developed and developing markets in the recent past. This has led to the study and use of digital technologies in a variety of fields, ranging from industry, finance and government policies to education, healthcare and social communication. Many authors have examined the link between new technologies and society in the context of what is referred to as the ‘digital divide’ between rich and poor countries. It has been postulated frequently that productivity effects of technology are moderated by country factors, and increased affordability and accessibility of technology has been instrumental in socio-economic growth across social classes, regions and economies. Education and healthcare play a critical role in socio-economic development. With special emphasis on India, this article examines how innovative technology at various levels of complexity influences societal growth, through its contribution to education and healthcare, in emerging economies. The need for and contribution of different players such as the private sector, NGOs and the government in the past few decades in India has also been discussed with emphasis on these two major contributors to development. With support of some examples of innovative entrepreneurial effort, the article discusses the efforts such as extension of use of digital technology to lower socio-economic strata and its impact on education and healthcare.